In 2024, Russia may conduct the first launches of the newest hypersonic missile "Zircon" from aboard the submarine "Perm". Earlier it became known that she will be a full-time carrier of the hypersonic complex.
Earlier in November, a source in the military-industrial complex told TASS that the first submarine - the regular carrier of the Zircon will be the submarine of the project 885M Perm. Now the agency has named the timing of the first tests of the rocket from aboard this ship.
According to him, flight design tests from the submarine will begin no earlier than 2024. Until then, launches will be carried out from surface ships.
Perm is the fifth submarine of the 885M Yasen-M project. It will become the second boat with this name: in 2002-2005, the name of the city was borne by the submarine B-292 of the 671RTMK "Pike" project.
Sevmash is currently building six nuclear submarines of the 885M project. The lead ships of projects 885 and 885M - Severodvinsk and Kazan - are already part of the Russian Navy. The first serial submarine of the 885M — K-573 Novosibirsk project is still being tested. They want to transfer it to the Fleet this year.
The submarines of the updated project differ significantly from the only representative of the base project 885. According to open sources, they are somewhat shorter and can boast of new equipment, optimized contours, as well as a reduced noise level. At the same time, the armament of the improved version is the same as on the Severodvinsk submarine.
Recall that it was used for the test launch of the Zircon, the video of which the Russian Defense Ministry showed in the fall.
Test launch of the hypersonic missile "Zircon" from the nuclear submarine "Severodvinsk" / ©Ministry of Defense of Russia
Other carriers of the Zircon include the upgraded Irkutsk submarine of the 949AM project, the ships of the 22350 project, as well as the Admiral Nakhimov cruiser. The Admiral Golovko frigate will become the first full-time surface carrier of the Zircon (and the first full-time carrier of the rocket in general).
The capabilities of the rocket are not known for certain. According to experts, it will be able to effectively hit even very large ships, including aircraft carriers. At the same time, intercepting the Zircon will be a task of exceptional complexity due to its speed.
It was reported that on tests he was able to develop M = 8. The launch range is estimated at more than 1,000 kilometers, although, according to other sources, it is "more modest" and is about 450 kilometers. The mass of the missile warhead can reach 400 kilograms. Serial deliveries of hypersonic complexes to the fleet are planned to begin in 2022. Earlier it became known that the first batch of products of the Ministry of Defense has already been purchased.